The Caloocan City council has proposed a measure called "Anti-Epal Ordinance" in a bid to prohibit city officials from affixing their identities on any ongoing or completed projects owned by the local government.
Under proposed Ordinance No. 11-170, public officials of the city will be prohibited from "affixing or causing to to be affixed, the name, brand, logo, image or any similar signages...announcing a proposed or ongoing public works project, public vehicle, written permit or any property owned by the city or barangay."
If passed, the measure will also mandate removing all existing signages announcing a proposed or ongoing projects bearing the name or image of any public official, which should be done within three months.
The council made the move as it said "it is a prevalent practice among public officials, whether elected or appointed, to append their names" to anything owned by the government.
Violators of the measure will be slapped with a P3,000 fine or imprisonment of not more than one year on their first offense; P4,000 or imprisonment of not more than one year on their second offense; and P5,000 or imprisonment of not more than one year on their third offense.
All barangay officials, members of the city's Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management, and the police are tasked to implement the ordinance once it is passed.